UK SPACE COMPANY Orbex has commissioned an industrial 3D printer it says will be Europe's largest as it prepares to launch rockets from Scotland in 2022. Weighing over 12 tonnes, the system will be able to print 35 rocket engines each year. Orbex commissioned Additive Manufacturing Customized Machines (AMCM) to build the printer, which will allow it to rapidly print complex rocket engines in-house. The custommade, large-volume 3D printer will allow Orbex to print more than 35 large-scale engines and main-stage turbopump systems annually as the company scales up its production capabilities for launches. The multi-million-pound deal was signed with AMCM following a series of successful trials printing various largescale rocket components over a number of months. AMCM will deliver a complete printing suite with post-processing machinery and machine vision systems, providing automatic imagingbased inspection of printed components. To accommodate the new machinery, Orbex is expanding its factory floor space by an additional 1,000 square metres.